Symptoms

Symptoms of Congenital Anomalies of the Bladder and Genitalia

Women with GU anomalies that don’t affect the external genitalia appear “normal” from the outside. These anomalies can be asymptomatic, may cause little to no symptoms in women, and are typically diagnosed later in life. However, some GU anomalies can cause symptoms in adolescence. Possible symptoms of a reproductive anomaly include delayed periods, difficulty inserting a tampon, painful intercourse, or monthly abdominal pain. Some reproductive anomalies can cause difficulty during pregnancy/delivery, including miscarriage or preterm labor.

While some types of urinary tract anomalies are asymptomatic, symptoms can include urinary tract infections. Other types of GU anomalies can be the manifestation of larger systemic syndromes, and symptoms are overt at birth, such as in Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH).